The invention relates to impact resistant polymeric compositions containing polyamides, maleic anhydride adducts of hydrogenated polymers and graft copolymers thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to impact resistant polymeric compositions containing polyamides and maleic anhydride adducts of hydrogenated polymers of conjugated dienes and hydrogenated copolymers of conjugated dienes and vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons in which at least 5 percent by weight of the polyamide and the maleic anhydride adduct are present in the form of a graft copolymer containing at least 20 percent polyamide.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,236,914 and 3,274,289 to Murdock et al disclose blends of polyamides and carboxylated copolymers which are said to produce molded products having high impact resistance and good thermal rigidity. These patents teach that the carboxylated copolymers contain from 1 to 25 percent of free carboxyl groups and that they may be derived from unsaturated neutral monomers such as ethylene, propylene, styrene, 1,3-butadiene, vinyl monomers, acrylates, and the like, and unsaturated carboxylic acids such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, itaconic acid and the like. However, the patents do not disclose or suggest compositions containing maleic anhydride adducts of hydrogenated polymers or copolymers and graft copolymers of polyamides and maleic anhydride adducts of hydrogenated polymers or copolymers. Moreover, blend compositions such as those described in the Murdock et al patents are difficult to blend on a mill and often result in the production of rough moldings or extrudates.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,029 to Saito et al discloses synthetic resin compositions comprising glass fibers, polyamides and thermoplastic block copolymers of conjugated diolefins and monovinyl aromatic hydrocarbons. However, the patent does not disclose or suggest compositions containing maleic anhydride adducts of hydrogenated polymers or copolymers and graft copolymers of polyamides and maleic anhydride adducts of hydrogenated polymers or copolymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,103 to Davison et al discloses polymer blends of certain selectively hydrogenated block copolymers and polyamides. However, the patent does not disclose or suggest compositions containing maleic anhydride adducts of hydrogenated polymers or copolymers and graft copolymers of polyamides and maleic anhydride adducts of hydrogenated polymers or copolymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,163 to Gergen et al discloses multicomponent blends comprising polyamides, selectively hydrogenated block copolymers of conjugated dienes and monoalkenyl arenes and at least one dissimilar engineering thermoplastic which may be selected from polyolefins, polyesters, poly(aryl ethers), polyurethanes, poly(aryl sulfones) etc. However, the patent does not disclose or suggest compositions containing maleic anhydride adducts of hydrogenated polymers or copolymers and graft copolymers of polyamides and maleic anhydride adducts of hydrogenated polymers or copolymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,358 to Epstein discloses multiphase thermoplastic compositions consisting essentially of one phase containing 60 to 99 percent by weight of a polyamide having a number average molecular weight of at least 5,000 and 1 to 40 percent by weight of at least one other phase containing particles of at least one polymer having a number average molecular weight of at least 5,000 and 1 to 40 percent by weight of at least one other phase containing particles of at least one polymer having a particle size in the range of 0.01 to 3.0 microns and being adhered to the polyamide. An extremely broad range of polymers or polymer mixtures which can be utilized as the at least one other phase polymer are described. However, the patent does not disclose or suggest compositions containing maleic anhydride adducts of hydrogenated polymers of conjugated dienes or hydrogenated copolymers of conjugated dienes and vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons and graft copolymers of polyamides with maleic anhydride adducts of such hydrogenated polymers or copolymers as is the case in the compositions of the present invention.